1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to methods and apparatuses for protecting vehicles in the event of a rear-end collision and, more specifically, to a supplemental rear vehicle bumper, inserted into a receiver hitch, and which provides supplemental impact protection to that provide by a fixed rear bumper in the event the subject vehicle is struck from behind by another vehicle, and method therefor.
2. Background of the Invention
The rear bumper on a vehicle is provided, of course, to protect in the event of an accident involving the rear portion of the vehicle. One type of accident that may occur is of the rear end variety, where the subject vehicle is struck from behind by an oncoming car.
It is often the case, particularly where the subject vehicle is relatively high profile, such as sports utility vehicles, that the front bumper of the oncoming car is at a lower height than the fixed rear bumper of the subject vehicle. In such instances, the oncoming car""s front bumper will pass fully or at least partially below the subject vehicle""s rear bumper, potentially resulting in significant damage to both cars and increased injury to the occupants of either or both. Generally, in such instance, the harm will be more significant than t would have been had the bumpers been of equal height.
Receiver hitches are a common vehicle accessory. They are typically positioned at the rear of the vehicle, usually below the rear bumper, and allow a vehicle to tow a wide variety of objects, including trailers and the like. When not in use, the hitch serves little or no purpose. For most hitch owners, the hitch is not in use far more often than it is used.
Therefore, a need existed for a method and apparatus for supplementally protecting a vehicle that is contacted from behind by an oncoming vehicle, where the bumper of the oncoming vehicle is lower than the bumper of the subject vehicle. The method and apparatus must take advantage of the receiver hitch, when otherwise not in use. The present invention satisfies these needs and provides other, related, advantages.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for supplementally protecting a vehicle that is contacted from behind by an oncoming vehicle, where the bumper of the oncoming vehicle is lower than the bumper of the subject vehicle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide supplemental protection for the rear portion of a vehicle that utilizes the receiver hitch, when otherwise not in use.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a supplemental bumper for a vehicle is disclosed. The supplemental bumper comprises, in combination: an insertion section; a contact surface coupled at a substantially ninety degree angle to the insertion section; and means for providing horizontal stability and or limiting rotational movement of the contact surface relative to the insertion section about a point where the insertion section and the contact surface are coupled.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for protecting a vehicle that is struck from the rear by an oncoming vehicle is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: providing a first vehicle; providing a hitch on a rear portion of the first vehicle and below a fixed rear bumper located on the first vehicle; providing a supplemental bumper comprising: an insertion section; a contact surface coupled at a substantially ninety degree angle to the insertion section; and means for providing horizontal stability and for limiting rotational movement of the contact surface relative to the insertion section about a point where the insertion section and the contact surface are coupled; and inserting the insertion section of the supplemental bumper into the hitch so that the contact surface will be positioned below the fixed rear bumper and at a height calculated to contact a front portion of a second vehicle that contacts the first vehicle at a rear portion thereof.
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.